Maelstrom
by ChidoriValentine
Summary: Minato was alone, he was fine with that. He helped people to fix that pit. But when a strange boy stumbles into his life he gets thrown into something he was never prepared for. For the last year all that strange boy wanted was to be saved. But is he prepared for what comes with that? AU T for swearing and minor gore.
1. ICE

**ICE**

He was cold. Or was he? He was beyond cold. He was ice. If he fell over he would shatter into a million pieces. That wouldn't be so a bad though. He had escaped one hell only to enter another frozen one. He stumbled and somehow managed to catch himself on a tree, a small victory in itself. He was soaking wet from the first fall he had. He couldn't stop walking. He had to keep trying to get away. He had made it this far even though he was pretty sure he was leaving behind a crimson trail leading them right to him.

_A crimson trail of ice._

It felt like his own blood had turned solid as it sludged through his system. _It hurt. _But then again so did everything. They really did a number on him. He stumbled again. Could he even see where he was going? It was dark, pitch black and his senses were somehow on high alert. They were letting him know if his death was near.

**_Keep going. Stop thinking, it's dangerous when you do that. _**A voice not his own echoed in his head. He shook _him_ off. **_Almost there._**

_Almost wh-?_ He was cut off by the bright light that blew up his vision, his senses now screaming a second too late. The light seemed to scream as it got closer and he felt a jolt in his side causing him to stagger but again, by some act of God, he did not fall. The light stopped and flickered; he could see somebody beyond it. It was a car. _Oh God they found me._

**_I said stop thinking. You're okay now. Do us a favor and don't die._**

His strength left him then, his lungs quit and he finally fell. But he didn't feel a thing. _Hey,_ _I didn't break._

"Hey! Hey are you alright?" someone, a man, asked/shouted. He heard the crunch of his shoes. "Oh shit!" He wanted to laugh. That felt pretty accurate. He saw the man, a blur of blonde hair and blue eyes crouching over him. He looked afraid. He must have looked like he said. "Just… just hang on okay!" he was probably still shouting but he sounded far away. He blinked to try and keep the black spots out of his vision; he didn't want to give up now, he had come this far. "This is Detective Minato Namikaze badge number zero-zero-six-five-one-zero! I need an ambulance immediately! I'm on Shodai Avenue just off Seventh highway…"

**_A detective, that's lucky._**

"Hey don't quit on me!" Minato shouted as his eyes closed and he fell into oblivion. He wasn't so cold anymore.

* * *

><p><strong>Yes another story. <em>What are you thinking? <em>This story is kind of an interim story, I've been feeling a little tapped out with the others and I had the idea so _what the hey_. So this is going to be where I get all that restless creative energy out. The other stories are priority though. Internet pinky swear, I promise.**

**I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.**


	2. BLUE

**BLUE**

Minato Namikaze was driving home from work when his life turned upside down. It was still winter in Konoha and nights fell early. But it felt darker than normal. He was turning a curve when the figure stumbled out of the woods. His brakes squealed and the person froze like a deer. There was a jolt as the car, thankfully, managed to stop and the boy stumbled. _I just hit a kid! Shit! _The next second the boy was gone from sight. He tore off his seatbelt and jumped out of the car into the cold night, not bothering to close the door.

"Hey! Hey are you alright?" The kid was on the ground. _Did I hit him that hard? Is he drunk? _"Oh shit," the words were out of his mouth in a rush. He was a mess. His clothes were tattered and soaking wet, he wasn't wearing shoes; his hair was dark with grime and dirt, blue lips. And he was covered in blood, especially his neck; it looked like it was slit. A strange noise left the kid, a rush of air out of his mouth and Minato realized he was still conscious. The fact that was still _alive_ was just… "Just… just hang on okay!" he urged, slipping into his professional mode. He whipped out his phone and dialed dispatch. "This is Detective Minato Namikaze badge number zero-zero-six-five-one-zero! I need an ambulance immediately! I'm on Shodai Avenue just off Seventh highway," he rallied off other details about the teen, all the while shadowed blue eyes stared at him. He wondered if he knew what was happening. A violent shudder passed through him and Minato tossed the phone. "Hey don't quit on me!" he said pressing his hands onto the wound. Warm blood passed over his fingers. His eyes were closed and he was barely breathing but his heart was still beating faintly.

Something was off. There was a strange tingling under his fingertips. It felt like his heart was getting stronger and he felt warmer, but it wasn't possible, he was losing too much blood. The piercing wail of sirens made him jump as he was doused in red and blue. He waited for the paramedics to come over, both of them cringing momentarily at the sight before diving in.

"Did you hit him?" the one asked.

"I might have tapped him," Minato said, eyes glued to the teen's slowly rising and falling chest. "He collapsed and I found his throat like this."

"How is he still alive?" he heard the second murmur.

"Well let's keep him that way," the other barked. Minato stood out of the way as they moved him onto a stretcher.

"Where are you taking him?" he asked moving back towards his car. "I'm a detective, he's obviously the victim of something!" he barked at the strange look they sent him.

"Hokage Memorial." And then they were off. Minato jumped back in to his car, he took a deep breath before starting the engine and turning on his own sirens.

* * *

><p>Minato checked his cell phone again as he waited in the hospital waiting room. He was waiting to see if any information came from Inoichi back at the station who was looking into missing persons. Eight hours later and he still had no idea if the boy was alive or dead. His foot tapped relentlessly against the linoleum as he waited for news from someone.<p>

"Sir?" he looked up as a young doctor approached. "You're the detective with the boy right?"

"Yes, I am. My name is Minato Namikaze. Is he okay?" he asked standing up quickly.

"Well no, no he's not," she shook her head. "First off I'm Dr. Shizune, I'm the attending. He's alive, miraculously, we spent the whole surgery waiting for him to crash but he didn't." Minato sighed in relief.

"What about his injuries?"

"It's easier to list them, there's so many. His trachea was punctured; he's on a ventilator now. Flail chest, hypovolemic shock, hypothermia, bruising, a concussion, and a few other lacerations. We're doing everything we can do to prevent him from getting pneumonia right now; there was a lot of fluid in his lungs. If he pulls through this it's a miracle," she finished.

"Damn," he muttered.

"Indeed," her lips upturned in a small smile. "Do you have any information on him? I'd hate to keep calling him John Doe or just another number."

"I'm still waiting on information from the precinct," he sighed. "How would you say he got those injuries?"

"Blunt force trauma. He was beaten, viciously, and stabbed with something the size of a scalpel. He's had some of them for a while."

"We'll find who did this to him," Minato frowned. "Can I see him?" he asked.

"We have him in a sterilized environment, the last thing we want is him to get pneumonia or a cold. It would wipe him out. But yes, you may go back," she nodded. She led him past the ICU to a special ward. After following her instructions and a blast of cool sterilized hit him in the face before he walked into a warm room. The boy somehow managed to look better but worse at the same time. He was cleaned up now but bandages, blue bruises, and small scratches crisscrossed on visible skin. The tube down his throat didn't help. His hair was a golden blonde color, recently washed and flat against his forehead. "He's probably about fifteen or sixteen years old," Shizune said, writing down something on his chart. Minato nodded and pulled out his ringing phone.

_"Minato, how is the kid?"_ Inoichi asked.

"He's in bad shape but he's out of surgery. Do you have any information for me?" he asked. His eyes raking over the young face, he had six scars on his cheeks but they looked old.

_"No I don't. There's no missing teenager reports that match the description you gave me in Konoha. I can expand the search but I'm going to need more details,"_ he could hear his sigh.

"Alright, you ready?" he asked. "He's about fifteen or sixteen years old. Short blonde hair, blue eyes, about five foot five height. Distinguishing features… he has six scars on his face, three on each cheek," he listed.

"He has a black spiral tattoo on his stomach," Shizune interrupted.

"Really?" he asked and Shizune pulled aside the blanket and thin hospital shirt revealing the strange tattoo. "He has a black spiral tattoo around his navel."

_"That's plenty of info. I'll run it through the databases. Keep me posted." _Minato pocketed his phone with a sigh.

"Nothing?" she asked.

"Not yet," he frowned. "Should his fingertips be blue?"

"It's from the lack of oxygen and hypothermia, it should fade soon. His levels are improving. He seems like a fighter," she grinned and brushed a strand of hair out of his closed eyes.

"So it would seem," he agreed.

"Would you like to stay a little while longer?" she asked.

"If that's okay."

"Yeah, I think that contact is good. But not for long, he's still critical," Shizune said and left the room. Minato ran a hand through his hair and sat in the chair against the wall.

"You are fighter aren't you?" he murmured, looking at the sleeping face. He had talked to the paramedics before they left. There was no way he should be alive with the injury and the amount of blood he lost. How far had he walked? He wondered if anyone went out to the highway to check out to see where he came from. He glanced at the heart monitor as it etched out a slow steady beat. "Do me a favor and don't die."

* * *

><p>"I wasn't expecting to see you today," Inoichi said not bothering to look up at him. The blonde man was a few years older than him but they had been on the force for the same amount of time.<p>

"Yeah, I figured I'd do some searching myself and file a report," he said, it had been twelve hours since he had seen the kid but Shizune had said that he wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. He had gone home, showered, gotten some rest, and then came here. He lived alone; he didn't really have a family.

"How is he?" he asked.

"He's fighting. His injuries were extensive, the doctor confirmed long term abuse," he frowned at his computer screen.

"There haven't been any hits yet. Do you think it was familial?"

"It's possible, if someone claims him then we'll do a background check. Has anyone gone to check out the scene yet?"

"Not yet, you wanna go?" he arched an eyebrow, Minato nodded.

"Minato, can I see you for a minute?" Shikaku, the chief asked. Minato took a deep breath and stood. "So tell me about the kid," he asked closing the door behind him and taking the seat behind his desk.

"I… well I nearly hit him on Shodai Avenue and Seventh Highway. He came stumbling out of the woods. I thought he might have been drunk but when I got out of the car I saw the blood and his throat…"

"And that's when you called 911," Shikaku interjected.

"Yes. I followed them to the hospital and waited. The doctor confirmed long term abuse with his laundry list of injuries. He should pull through if he doesn't get sick. Inoichi is keeping an out on missing persons," he finished.

"I'm aware," Shikaku nodded. "He's about fifteen-sixteen right?" Minato nodded. "He would be about Shikamaru's age. I'm taking this personally; I want to know who did this, especially if there's going to be more. I want to know who this kid is, his family should be looking for him," he frowned.

"What do you want to do?" he asked.

"A press conference. It will get his image circulating."

"Inoichi and I were going to check out the area," Minato stated.

"Do that. Let me know what you find," he nodded his approval and Minato left.

* * *

><p>"So this is where you hit him?" Inoichi asked with a small smile.<p>

"I tapped him. I didn't cause any injury to him," Minato frowned.

"Well that's good considering what else happened to him." They pulled over, lights flashing a few feet from the spot. Minato still could picture the look on his face, he had been terrified.

"Here," Minato pointed to a darker spot on the pavement.

"A lot of blood." Minato nodded.

"He came from this way," he pointed into the woods, their feet crunched on the thin layer of snow and ice. "More blood," he noticed the reddish brown spots on the white.

"More up here too." Minato noticed the splotches, some bigger than others, like some twisted form of breadcrumbs leading them to where this boy came from. _Lots of blood… _It was a stark contrast against the white snow. It was so bright; it had been so bright the other night when he was dying on the ground.

"Minato? You okay?" Inoichi's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He had stopped walking without realizing it. "Are you losing your head?"

"No, sorry, I just had a thought," he shook his head.

"How that kid could have managed to get to that far losing this much blood? We're not even at the end of the trail," Inoichi frowned. He was right, more blood was in front of them.

"He's a fighter."

"Understatement of the year. Whoa wait this is a pond," Inoichi stopped walking. It was small and the water was green and murky.

"The snow here is messed up and the trail disappears," Minato pointed to the disturbed snow.

"The kid did not…." Inoichi said in disbelief, making his way to the other side. "He did! There's blood here again. He went _through _the water! He's gotta be Hercules or something! It was, what, 30 degrees the other night and we've walked about a mile or so to get here?"

"He was soaking wet. He must have fallen in," he frowned. _This kid… _"Let's keep going," Minato pushed on. The blood patches became more frequent.

"He stumbled more here," Inoichi pointed to the mussed ground.

"Up ahead," Minato could see something gray through the branches.

"Creepy, of course the blood leads to there" Inoichi frowned. It was a dilapidated old stone cottage, windowpanes were missing from the front and the heavy wooden door was partly open. "This isn't good."

"Want to call backup?" Minato asked, the hair on the back of his neck was standing on end. Something wasn't right here.

"Let's check it out," Inoichi pulled out his sidearm and Minato followed suit. They slowly stepped into the house, the door creaked loudly and they paused. They moved quietly through the level. The place was dusty and quiet and dark. "I'm going downstairs," he pointed to an open door leading to a stair well. Minato nodded and continued through the foyer and into the kitchen. He frowned as he noticed a few of the cabinet doors had been punched in or damaged. A fight had occurred here between that boy and someone else.

He moved through to the living room and found it in similar condition. A busted couch was askew with brown spots and an end table was smashed. Minato ran his fingers over a black spot on the wall and pulled them quickly. He felt like he had been shocked. He ran his thumb over his forefinger to work away the strange numbness as he examined the mark, it looked like a scorch mark and it started from the chair rail and ran up to the molding up at the ceiling. It felt like energy came from it, something strange.

"Minato get down here!" Inoichi's voice rang out. Minato walked quickly back through the house and down the stairs, nearly gagging as the cloying scent of blood hit him. "Yeah, it's bad," Inoichi appeared, his sleeve over his nose. "We've got a problem." Two bodies lay in the middle of the basement. Red and covered in their own blood and strange a symbol marked the wall. It was wrong, it made him feel sick and he and he had seen his fair share of gruesome scenes. "One adult, one smaller, a teenager maybe. There's torture equipment in the next room."

"Let's call this in."

* * *

><p>Minato sat down across from the boy. It had been two days now since he had found him. The cottage had been scoured, the bodies had yet to be identified because they had been so disfigured. The boy's fingerprints and blood had been all over both levels of the house. They were no closer to figuring out who he was. He looked at the boy; there was something about him that made him uneasy… there was something missing.<p>

"He should survive this, he's healing. His vitals are still a little low and I wish he'd be more responsive, but he should still pull through," Doctor Shizune said. "I'm glad that you're here. I think it's always good for patients to know they're not alone."

"His situation... has become unique," Minato sighed. He was possible suspect and a possible victim. His footsteps and blood were the only ones that the investigation unit found around the house. It was possible that someone in the basement had put up a fight and injured him… but he would have been outnumbered and he had his own injuries…

"He's still just a boy and he's been abused. That's all I care about," she said softly. "Stay a while. Talk to him, say anything, I think it'll help," she added before leaving. Minato took a deep breath and leaned back in the chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. He could still smell the blood under the deep cleanse of the hospital. He hated hospitals and yet here he was. He hadn't even realized he was driving here until he found himself in the parking lot.

"Hello," he cleared his throat. Was he really going to talk to a kid who probably couldn't hear him?

"Hi," he said again and leaned forward, running a hand through his blonde hair and propping his forearms on his knees. "My name's Minato Namikaze. The jerk that nearly ran you over with his car," he chuckled awkwardly. "I didn't get the chance to introduce myself earlier when you, you know," he swallowed, thinking about the blood. Since when did he get queasy at the idea of blood? "I'm a detective with the K.P.D. We found the house and those inside. What happened to you?" he asked pointlessly. He glanced at one of the machines hooked up the boy to see if anything had changed. Nothing. "It's been a long day, trying to figure out who you are…" He looked back at the boy. His eyebrows were furrowed gently as if he was frowning, but it was impossible to tell with the tube. "I'm tired, I should go home," he sighed, "My old man used to say something when he was tired but still had work to do… 'I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep…' I'm pretty sure he stole it from something though," he smiled. Jiraiya wasn't his father technically; he had adopted him when he was ten years old, he had claimed to know his parents but only told him that they were good people. He had said that little phrase a lot in the nine years that he had lived with him; he still said it to this day.

"And miles to go before I sleep," he muttered again "You've been asleep for two days straight. Got no promises huh?" He glanced back at the boy. His blond hair was shaggy and hanging in his eyes again. It was a similar shade to his and it kind of looked like it had that same untamable tendency. "That was lame. I'm sorry," he shook his head. He reached forward and brushed the hair away.

Blue eyes snapped open as his fingers brushed his forehead.

* * *

><p><strong><em>"I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep." <em>is from Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost I do not own it. I'm not that creative...**


	3. QUESTIONS

**QUESTIONS**

He felt a jolt run through his body, like what happened at the house when he touched the scorch mark, but stronger. He snapped his hand away when the boy's eyes opened. The machines next to him started blaring and flashing in alarm. Minato bolted up out of the chair when the kid started making a strange choking sound and his hands started to struggle with the tube.

"H-hey, calm down!" he said even though he was panicking himself. "You're in the hospital! You're okay!" he said loudly, trying to make eye contact but his eyes were wide and wild. The door opened behind him and doctors flooded inside. "He can't breathe!"

"Be prepared to sedate him!" she barked to another and pushed Minato out of the way. She somehow managed to catch his eyes and his jerky hands. "I know it doesn't feel like it but you are safe," she said slowly and clearly. "You need to let the machine breathe for you."

"His heart rate is borderline tachycardic."

"You're safe, you're safe," she repeated, holding out her hand out for the syringe. She inserted it into the IV and slowly depressed the plunger. The boy's eyes flickered around the room as his eyelids drooped. "It's okay," she said as they closed completely and he relaxed. She watched the machine for a moment before letting go of his hands. "Make sure he didn't re-injure anything," she ordered and dragged Minato out of the room. "What happened?" she asked.

"One second he was sleeping and the next he was awake. He couldn't breathe," he tried to explain, eyeing the kid through the glass door.

"He was barely responsive before," she frowned. "He shouldn't have woken up like that. The sedative we gave him was mild, I don't want to risk sending him too far under. Hopefully he should wake up again in an hour or two."

"Dr. Shizune, you have to see this!" a doctor opened the door. She frowned again and went back in the room, Minato lingered in the doorway trying to stay out of the way.

"That's not possible," she breathed. They had pulled aside his shirt, the skin before had been bruised and mangled now appeared normal. "This isn't possible."

"His injuries..."

"It's not possible, it's only been two days. Something has to be wrong. Take him up to Imaging now!" she barked. With a flurry of green and white movement of scrubs and coats the teenager was disconnected and reconnected, Minato couldn't really tell, and rolled out of the room.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"His bruising is gone and it looks like his injuries have… healed," she watched him go. "It's not possible," she breathed.

* * *

><p>It was the smell that got to Naruto first. Something strong. It made his nose itch. But he was experiencing a deep bone ache under the numbness that made him regret even thinking about moving. He took a shuddering breath, <em>why can't I take a deep breath?,<em> he wondered and tried to peel open his eyes. _God, why is it so bright?_ he groaned. Or rather tried to, all that came out was this wheezy gush of air that made his throat hurt. He opened his eyes again and frowned. He didn't know where he was. He recognized the white everything of a hospital room but it was unfamiliar to the infirmary room he was used to.

Naruto closed his eyes again, maybe he was just dreaming. A flash of red and pain had him snapping them open. He didn't want this to be a dream. He was propped up so it was easier to look around. He frowned at the man sitting near the end of the bed. His head was bent at awkward angle from sleeping. _Who the heck is he?_ He wondered. He wasn't dressed to be sitting in a hospital; he was wearing slacks, a button up shirt, and a tie. The shirt was wrinkled and his tie was loose so he must have been wearing it for a while.

_What happened again? _He shook his head gently. He wheeze/groaned again from the action and closed his eyes. _I should get up,_ he thought. He winced as he worked to push himself up.

**_Can never sit still for long can you?_**

_Shut up,_ he grumbled managing to swing his legs out from the bed. The guy in the chair didn't stir. _You sound different._

**_I'm tired. Do me a favor and don't get yourself in anymore trouble._**

_Where are we? HEY! _He huffed and rubbed his forehead, he was getting a headache and _him_ pulling away didn't help. Not to mention the fact that his brain was fuzzy from meds.

**_We're not in Kansas Toto._**

_Damn it. You're Toto. _He growled but that hurt even more than groaning. He gently felt at his throat, bandages ran from the base to his chin. That explained that. He already knew that he wasn't home; there they knew not to give him so much medication. He hated the way it made him feel and it sometimes slowed Kurama down.

The floor was cold as his feet touched it and he gripped the bed rail for support when the room spun. He sighed, reaching over to turn off the heart monitor, his head throbbing with his pulse. The nodes on his chest where next to go, he rubbed the spots on his chest with one hand as he ditched them on the bed. He wondered what he should do about the IV; from experience he knew he should probably leave it in but at the same time he didn't want the drugs. He decided to keep it and use the pole as a crutch, besides he didn't want to suffer any consequences of losing something that could be essential. _Is that red bag blood? Huh, weird._

"Hey." _Busted already, I've lost my touch, _he frowned, looking up at the man who was suddenly awake. "What are you doing?" he frowned leaning forward. There was no way he could make a run for it. The man's eyes examined the turned off machine for a moment before turning back to him.

"Well that didn't work." Was what he wanted to say but that's nowhere near what came out. He frowned and touched his throat. _Ouch._

"Yeah that's not going to work," the man frowned as well. "You're throat was… hurt," he said lamely.

_No duh,_ Naruto raised and eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, you can tell," he said awkwardly. He stood and Naruto stiffened causing him to pause. "It's okay," he held out his hands. He walked two steps to pour water into a cup. "Here, drink slowly. Can't have you choking." He slowly took the cup, eyeing the clear liquid somewhat suspiciously before drinking it. It felt like heaven as it went down his abused throat. "That's not drinking slowly." He sent a glare at him.

_Screw you stranger._

"My name's Minato Namikaze. I'm a Detective."

The water burned as it went down his damaged windpipe.

"Crap!" the detective freaked out as he started to cough. "Crap!" he said it again, his hands hovering over his back apparently not sure whether to touch him or not. "I should call somebody." Naruto waved his arm at him, something to get him to shut up. He got the coughing under a control a minute later, eyes burning and a few tears shed.

"'kay," he managed to wheeze out with more strain.

"You sure kid? You didn't see yourself before." Naruto frowned. _Before?_ Screaming lights flashed in mind followed by pain and blood. He was remembering in reverse. "Hey." The detective was trying to get his attention. He was sitting again in front of him. His eyebrows were furrowed as he examined his face.

"What's going on? Why isn't his monitor on?" a woman burst into the room, making him jump. The woman had short black hair and dark eyes and was wearing a lab coat. She froze when she saw him sitting on the edge of the bed. "What are you doing? Why are you sitting up?" she said crossing the room in two steps. Naruto flinched when she invaded his space. "Lay back," she scolded her tone more gentle.

"I'm Dr. Shizune," she said after a minute of silent examining. "I can't believe you're moving." She flashed a light in his eyes and that made his head throb. "Don't try to talk," she said when he went to complain. "Your larynx was damaged. As were numerous other parts of your body but that healed miraculously fast," she muttered. Naruto adverted his eyes; they would think he was crazy. She examined him for another moment. "I have a lot of questions for you and I'm sure he does too." Naruto frowned at the both of them. He didn't want to answer questions. He wanted to go home. "But you need to rest," she said.

"I think there's a couple important questions we can ask now," Minato cut in. Dr. Shizune turned to him. "What's your name? Is there someone we can call?" he handed him a small notepad and a pen. He frowned for a minute at the paper, his fingers felt stiff around the pen and it was weird holding it and he adjusted his grip.

"Do you remember?" Dr. Shizune asked after a minute. Of course he remembered. But when was the last time that he had said it? When was the last time he had written it down even? He gripped the pen again and carefully wrote his first name. _No last names,_ that was a rule. His handwriting was terrible as he jotted down a phone number. _What if the number is wrong? _He thought, there was no guarantee that they were still there. He took a shaky breath, reading the numbers one more time before handing the pad back.

"Naruto?" Minato said slowly.

* * *

><p>Minato looked at the boy, Naruto, through the one-way glass. A day and a half awake in the hospital and the doctors deemed him well enough to be released into police custody. Now he was wearing a Konoha Police Department hoodie, pants from the hospital, and a pair of Minato's sneakers that were a size too big sitting in one of the friendlier interrogation rooms peeling away at the Styrofoam water cup in his hands. A habit that looked familiar to Minato but he couldn't place from where.<p>

"There's no 'Naruto' in the system and the number he gave leads to nowhere. It's strange," Shikaku said stepping up next to him.

"He's freaked out, he stopped trying to talk and he keeps zoning out, but then he clears up immediately. It's hard to figure out what's going on in his head," he said.

"Go in and talk to him. Prod about the house," Shikaku said. "We have a double homicide and only one person with answers."

"Right," he nodded. He turned the doorknob and went in. Naruto was still pulling at the cup, his leg jittering under the table. The teen didn't react as he sat down across from him. His eyes glued on his fingers work. "Naruto?" he said. His eyes snapped up and he dropped the cup. "Can I get you more water?" he asked. Naruto shook his head and flattened his hands against the tabletop. "How are you?" He shook his head again. Minato took a deep breath and passed over another notepad.

"As we've already talked about I found you out on the road. You were in bad shape. The next day we tracked your path." Minato felt the shift in the atmosphere. Naruto's fists clenched suddenly before white knuckles disappeared under the table. "We found a house in the woods, it was abandoned," he added. Naruto avoided his gaze; his shoulders were up by his ears. "What happened Naruto?" he asked leaning forward. "We want to find the people who hurt you." Naruto chewed on his lip, another nervous habit, his eyes were glazing over. "You know you're safe here," he added.

"No," he rasped softly, shaking his head.

"You're scared, that's okay. There were some pretty scary things at that house. In the basement," he prodded. Naruto stiffened like a board, his eyes closing. "There were signs of a fight too, in the living room and the kitchen. Who were you running from?" Naruto hung his head for a moment before shakily picking up the pen.

**What about the number?** He scrawled.

"We're still working on that," he gave the usual statement. Intense blue eyes examined his and Minato knew that Naruto knew that he was lying. His shoulders sagged an inch. "But you need to tell us what happened at the house."

**I don't**_,_ he paused for a moment, **wanna talk about the house.**

"We can come back to that. How about you tell me about yourself? How old are you Naruto?" he asked. He frowned and rubbed at his forehead.

**What's the date today?**

"February fifth," he answered. His frown deepened and he messaged his forehead again. _Does he really not know?_

**15.**

"Fifteen, okay," he nodded. "Can you tell me your last name?" He had wondered about it at the hospital but the doctor had insisted that he take something for his throat and he was kicked out after that. Naruto shook his head._ Well that's frustrating. _"Naruto, we want to help you."

"I can't," he whispered, barely audible and sounding painful.

"Don't force yourself. What about family? Are there any other numbers?"

He shook his head.

"What about an address? Where are you from?"

**Konoha.**

"No address? No family?" he repeated. Naruto stared at the table. "You weren't the only one in that house," he said, wanting to see a reaction. He sucked in a breath and closed his eyes again. There was something there but he was trying to hide it. "Who were they?"

**I can't answer your questions.**

"Don't you think they have family looking for them?"

**I can't answer your questions.** He was staring down at the table and his shoulders were back up by his ears.

"Why not? You're the only one with the answers," he leaned forward in his chair, trying to see his face. He was hiding behind his hair. "You were hurt, abused, for a long period of time. You can tell me what happened," he persisted. "No one is going to hurt you here. We'll help you but you need to let us." Naruto looked up at him again, his eyes were glossy. There was a particular reason he was hiding this and he couldn't tell why. _He wants to tell me._ This time he underlined his last statement, the lines dark and shaky. "Why?"

"Because Naruto can't answer your questions." He looked over at the open door and froze when he saw Shikaku and the other man standing next him.

"Jiraiya what are you doing here?" Minato asked standing up. It had been about a year since he had seen the man and here he was standing next to his chief. Wearing a suit and acting like it was normal. He smirked at him even though his eyes were serious.

"Hey kid," he nodded. "We need to talk."

"God dammit move! I'm done waiting!" a woman shrieked before pushing her way through Shikaku and Jiraiya. It wasn't that hard considering her chest size. Minato was taken aback by the blonde woman as she ignored him and rushed straight to Naruto, who looked frightened and relieved as she knelt in front of him. "You idiot," she hissed angrily. Her hands came up to his shoulders as she quickly examined him, her fingers ghosted over the bandages on his neck. "You idiot," she whispered before pulling him to her chest. Minato was shocked for a moment but the kid relaxed in her grip and she hugged him tighter. _His family?_ He wondered.

"Let's give them some privacy," Shikaku stated. Minato nodded, slightly dazed, and left them. "I'll let you two catch up," he said before leaving. _That's even weirder;_ he frowned as he walked away.

"Let's get some terrible coffee," Jiraiya clapped his hand on his shoulder. Minato nodded and led him to the break room.

"What's going on Jiraiya?" he asked when they had their coffee. He knew the man well enough to know when he was stalling.

"Sorry to interrupt your case Minato. But Naruto won't be answering any questions," Jiraiya answered, leaning against the counter.

"Do you know the kid?" he was surprised.

"You could say that," he grinned sadly. "He's my godson."

"_You have a godson_?" he nearly choked on his coffee. "How? What happened?" Jiraiya took a deep breath.

"His mother was an old friend. She died giving birth and she took the name from me so she made me his godfather," he sighed and sat down at one of the tables.

"So, wait, you've been raising another kid for fifteen years?" he asked. "I've been to your place. There's never been a kid there," he prodded. _Why would he keep that from me?_ Minato couldn't lie that that hurt. He liked kids; he would have gladly helped him if he could have.

"It's… complicated Minato. I may be Naruto's guardian, and I've taken care of him, but he's never exactly lived with me," he sighed.

"You're right, that doesn't make any sense," Minato stated. "How long has he been missing?"

"A little over a year." Minato noticed that his hands clenched on the tabletop. "He's been gone over a year," he ran his hand of his face.

"You should have told me. I could have helped, I could have searched or kept an ear out," he said.

"It's bigger than that Minato," Jiraiya sighed and relaxed his hands.

"Is this why I haven't heard from you in so long?"

"I apologize for that, especially since this is how I'm seeing you again," he nodded. "This isn't how I meant to catch up."

"Well I'm glad that we found him." He was glad that he found someone important to Jiraiya but it was strange that he didn't know anything about this 'godson'. He should have been like family but he was a stranger. "I want to help him though, I want to find the people who hurt him."

"Legally Naruto can't answer any of your questions," he added.

"Without your permission as guardian," Minato frowned.

"It's bigger than that," he repeated and pulled out a badge.

"This is government work? I thought you retired?" he asked looking at his father figure. He had been thrilled when he quit working; it gave him a chance to work on his novels. "Are you investigating the homicides?"

"You could say that. Naruto was," his jaw clenched, "taken by a group of people. I can't tell you about it here. It's classified. That's why Naruto can't answer your questions."

"And Naruto knew about this group before he was taken? Was he working for the government? For you?" That didn't sound like Jiraiya either. Even though he had his extensive spy network he always worked to keep his informants safe and to especially get the younger ones out of whatever situation they were in.

"You could… say that," he nodded. "It's highly classified," he looked at him.

"You keep saying that," he frowned. Jiraiya examined him for a moment.

"Tell me how he is," he asked, looking down at his coffee cup. "He looked okay but I saw the bandages and…" he trailed off. Minato nodded and took a deep breath.

"I found him out in the woods. I'm only assuming he was running away. He had extensive injuries: blood loss, chest injuries, hypothermia, and a slit throat," Jiraiya went slightly pale. "But he healed within two days. How is that possible?" Jiraiya smiled and his face regained some color.

"That's classified."

"You told me more about classified missions before you retired," Minato scowled causing the elder to laugh.

"Those missions weren't near as important and you were persistent. I couldn't get any work done," he sighed, running a hand through his white hair. "My hands are tied on this Minato," he started suddenly serious.

"I understand," he nodded. What was he involved in? This was a lot more serious than any of the stories that he had ever told him.

"Thanks," he nodded and stood. "We've already talked to Shikaku, I'm taking Naruto back to his home."

"What about the case?" Minato frowned.

"There isn't a case. We're taking over this now. I'm sorry, I always hated it when people came in and swept everything away so I hate to be that guy to you of all people," he shrugged a shoulder. Minato ran a hand through his hair and nodded again.

"I get it," he stood. "I'm glad I could help in any way." Jiraiya smiled and clapped him on the shoulder again.

"Sorry kid. I'll call you soon and we'll catch up in a better environment. You don't have a girlfriend do you?" he pestered as they headed back. Minato grinned and shook his head. Jiraiya could easily slip into small talk; he was a chameleon who could get along with anyone. That's what made him successful, his record was nearly perfect.

Minato's mind lingered on the details of what Jiraiya just told him. It didn't really make sense. He wasn't a secretive man, especially to him so why the sudden secrecy now?

"I promise to call you," he said when they reached the door. "Maybe I'll be able to explain some things then."

"I'll look forward to that." They said their goodbyes and Jiraiya walked into the room. He watched them through the window for a moment. It was strange seeing him hug the teenager, the blonde hair and blue eyes; it was like seeing him with a younger version of himself. He decided to walk back to his desk, they could see themselves out and he had some work to finish. It wasn't long before the trio came through the bullpen. He glanced up as they passed along the wall. Naruto looked up at that moment and their eyes met. Minato nodded at him and sent a small wave. Naruto gave a small smile and nodded in return and Minato watched as Jiraiya ran his hand across his shoulders and they left. Minato frowned after them.

"I'm going home," he stood up and grabbed his jacket.

* * *

><p>Minato cursed as he stubbed his toe, fumbling for his ringing cell phone. Why did he put it so far away from his bed?<p>

"Hello?" he asked, his voice slightly pained. He hobbled back to his bed and turned on the lamp.

_"Minato? You okay over there?" _a cheery voice asked. He glanced at the clock, 5:02 glared in bright red letters.

"Jiraiya?" he asked, rubbing at his sore foot.

_"Yeah it's me. Sorry to wake you,"_ he apologized.

"What do you want?" he asked a little snappy.

_"I want you to come meet me somewhere okay?" _he asked.

"It's five a.m. on Sunday Jiraiya. What's going on?" he yawned.

_"You have off right?"_

"Yeah but it's five in the _morning,_" he complained.

_"Yeah I know, I know. I swear I'll make it worth your while,"_ he could hear the humor in his voice.

"Jiraiya," he groaned.

_"Minato, I swear, I need you to come meet me," _Jiraiya was suddenly serious. _"Please."_

"Fine, fine," he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Where am I going?"

_"Great!"_ Jiraiya laughed and gave him an address. _"Get there as soon as possible. Oh and wear something nice." _

Minato looked down at the directions in his hand and then out the windshield. He had been driving on back roads for about an hour and now the pavement was about to change to a mix between gravel and dirt. _Where the hell is Jiraiya taking me?_ he frowned before releasing the brake and continuing. His finger tapped along to the static-y song playing on the radio as the car wobbled and bounced on the road. It was going on 7:15 now and the sun was cutting rays in the tree branches on the road in front of him. The road curved gently and turned into a driveway, the trees were thicker and taller on the sides of the road. He was forced to stop again at a tall wooden gate. In front of it was a small security station and a man stepped out.

"I.D." he demanded, his voice gruff.

"I'm here to see Jiraiya," Minato frowned, fishing out his wallet from his back pocket.

"I.D." he repeated and Minato handed him the card. He examined it for a moment before nodding and handing it back. Without a word he turned back and walked into the station. The gates creaked open and the man motioned him through. He frowned; beyond the gate was a three-story house, large and built like a tower with one-story extensions built off to the sides. It looked like didn't belong out here in the woods. He took the short drive, paved road again, and pulled around the circle just as Jiraiya stepped out of the front door.

"I'm glad you came so quickly," he smiled as Minato stepped out of the car.

"Well you said as soon as possible. Where the hell am I?" he asked.

"C'mon, let's go inside," Jiraiya ignored him and waved him up the stairs.

"Jiraiya!" he huffed. Oddly enough this wasn't the first time that Jiraiya had done this. He had dragged him on road trips before without a word of where they were going. "Seriously Jiraiya. What is this?" They walked through the front of the tower. A familiar blonde woman was waiting for them.

"This is Tsunade Senju, she was at the precinct the other day," Jiraiya introduced.

"Senju, like the First and Second Hokage?" he asked surprised.

"Yes they were my grandfather and granduncle," she nodded.

"Wow, well it's nice to meet you," he extended his hand and fixed his tie with the other, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious.

"Formally that is," she nodded. "I've heard a lot about you."

"I wish I could say the same. I have no idea why I'm here," he smiled sheepishly.

"You didn't tell him Jiraiya?" she frowned at the other.

"I didn't get the chance," he ran a hand through his hair.

"You were being extremely cryptic on the phone," Minato corrected, it wasn't often that he got to see him uncomfortable so he was going to exploit this opportunity. Tsunade huffed an annoyed sigh.

"Alright, alright. Well, I have a job for you," he said casually.

"A job? Jiraiya I already have a job," he said annoyed.

"This job is better, consider it a promotion," he smiled.

"A promotion?" there were just too many questions.

"We've already spoken with your superior, Shikaku Nara," Tsunade said.

"So you're offering me a government job?" he asked.

"Yes, you could say that. Since Jiraiya failed at explaining things to you," she sighed. "Why don't we give you a tour of the place and explain the job?"

"Uh okay," he nodded.

"That's the spirit," Jiraiya clapped him on the shoulder. They headed down a hallway. "This is a part of the Konoha government. But it's a joint project between the nations."

"What kind of project is it?"

"It's a research center."

"A research center? But what are you doing here? What am I doing here?" he could already sense that maybe accepting this job was a bad idea.

"Just shut up and listen," Jiraiya frowned.

"Right well, like I said this place is a research center. Years ago a natural resource was discovered by the First and Second Hokage. It's different from other kinds of resources because human beings have the ability to create it inside of our bodies," she explained.

"We create it?" he asked.

"It's called _chakra_, it's present in every cell of the body and can be channeled through a circulatory system of sorts. For most of us the system is dormant and the older we get, it seems, the harder it is to unlock it. But we've found kids who have a talent in using chakra and we've been studying them," she finished explaining.

"You're studying kids? Is that how Naruto is involved in this?" Jiraiya had said that Naruto was involved in his work more or less.

"Yeah Naruto's here. We have kids that live here, chakra can be volatile, it's controllable but it takes training and time. Some have more chakra than others and need more help," she nodded.

"So you keep kids away from their families?" that seemed ridiculous. Minato had worked with kids before, it wasn't right to keep them from where they belonged.

"Nothing like that," Jiraiya interjected. "This place is kind of like a boarding school. The kids here can go home whenever they want."

"Ok. But where do I come in on all this? I'm not a scientist," he frowned.

"Neither am I, you would have the same job as myself. I'm more of a mentor to the kids, but I also provide a type of security," he explained.

"And that's what you want from me?"

"Yes. You're a good guy, the teens will like you, and you're more than prepared to provide protection. I've done this for years," Jiraiya smiled.

"This all sounds crazy," he shook his head.

"Don't worry we all thought that at some point. But once you see it then you'll change your mind," Tsunade grinned.

"It's definitely real," Jiraiya nodded. Minato thought for a minute, this was a whole new job. He would be leaving what he was good at. But maybe it was time to change.

"Alright," he nodded. "I'll take the job."

"Great," Jiraiya clapped him on the shoulder, like he always did when he was proud.

"So how does Naruto factor into this? Does he have this _'chakra'_ thing?" he asked. He had been immensely curious.

"Naruto's unique," Tsunade said, exchanging a glance with Jiraiya. "He has one the largest masses of chakra that we've yet to see."

* * *

><p><strong>This story might be more in Minato's POV then Naruto's; I always gravitate to him more.<strong>

**I've been working on ****_Maelstrom _****and****_ Back to Back_**** all month so now I'm going to work on ****_Godspeed _****for a bit.**

**Also I know there are questions about Minato and Naruto and they will be answered eventually. Have patience.**


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